THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Adult male. Upper-parts of the body smoke-brown, slightly washed with olive ; tail- 
feathers uniform brownish-ash, slightly fringed on the outer web with dark olive; 
primaries brownish-ash slightly fringed on the outer web with grey ; secondaries 
brownish-ash, with the outer web slightly fringed with olive and the inner web 
margined with greyish-white ; under-surface of the body light smokv-grey ; middle 
of the abdomen and under tail-coverts whitish-grey; thighs washed with rufous; 
under wing-coverts and axillaries silky-white. Eyes greyish-brown, feet and 
tarsi leaden-brown, bill black with the comers of the mouth creamy-white. Total 
length 207 mm. ; culmen 20, wing 103, tail 86, tarsus 27. Figured. Collected 
on the Fitzroy River, North-west Australia, on the 7th of June, 1911, and is the 
type of P. w. darbiski. 
Adult female similar to the adult male. 
Eggs. Two eggs usually form the clutch. A clutch of two egg3 taken at the Katherine 
River, Northern Territory, on the 6th of January, 1899, is of a delicate pinkish-white 
ground-colour. Well blotched and spotted with reddish-brown, chestnut, and 
purplish markings, which are very numerous at the larger ends. Ovals in shape. 
Surface of shell smooth and slightly glossy. 23-24 by 15-16 nun. 
Nest. An open cup-shaped structure, composed of thin strips of bark, dried grasses, etc., 
and lined with thin grasses and fine material. Dimensions over all about 31 
inches across by 2| to nearly 3 in depth. Usually placed in a bushy tree. 
Breeding-months. August to January. 
Goitld’s observations on this peculiar species read: “ This bird, which 
differs from the true Plilotes in some parts of its structure, in the uniform 
colouring of its plumage, and in its habits and manners, is one of the many 
species that rewarded Gilbert’s researches at Port Essington; where he states 
it was seldom met with in the immediate vicinity of the harbour, but that it 
gradually increased in number as he approached the narrow neck of the peninsula 
and the mainland about Mountnorris Bay.” 
Ramsay, recording it from Derby, North-west Australia, wrote: “ This 
species is not rare at Cape York, and is also found near Normantown in the 
Gulf of Carpentaria district. . . . This bird was originally obtained at 
Port Essington; it has a vide range extending over the whole of the north 
and north-western portions of the continent.” 
Mr. J. P. Rogers wrote me : “ This species was not seen either at Mungi 
or Mamgle Creek. It is fairly numerous on the Fitzroy, where it frequents the 
dense growth on the bank of the river. It is usually found near water.” From 
Melville Island Rogers wrote: “ Cooper’s Camp. Nov. 20th, 1911. This 
species is sparingly distributed in the forest country. On the heavily timbered 
creeks it is rather numerous. These creeks usually havo a dense growth of 
creepers, etc., covering the big trees, and in places the trees are covered with 
a cane not unlike rattan. Near these dense growths are the favoured spots 
where the birds are most numerous. Jan. 14th, 1912. A few were seen in 
the jungles on the north side of the island. Jan. 30th, 1912. Cooper’s Camp. 
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